William h



(No Model.) Y

W. H. POWERS & J. H. WALKER.

BURIAL GASKET.

No. 275,265. Patented Ap 1'.3,1883

fittest UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. POWERS AND JOSEPH H. WALKER, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MIGH.

'BURlAL-CASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,265,. dated April 3, 1883.

Application filed septemher 9,1882. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WILLTAM H. PowERs and JOSEPH H. WALKER, of Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, haveinven ted certain new and useful Improvementsiu Burial-Gaskets; and we do hereby declare that the following specification,taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear,-true, and complete description of our invention.

Our said improvements pertain to that class of caskets which, for purposes of economic transportation and storage, are constructed in I detachable sections and the objects of ouriuvention are to provide a burial casket or case having its sides, ends, and bottom constructed in two substantially equal sections, which can be separated, transported, and put together without und-ueliability of defacing the highlyfinished surfaces and edges; and, also, to provide for the putting of the sections firmly together with a minimum of labor, and without liabilityofdefaeingsurfaces oredges; and,also, to so locate the vertical joints between the sections as to render the casketor case, when put together for use, in all respects equal to those built up, as heretofore, without the sectional feature.

After describing a casket embodying our invention, thet'eatures deemed novel will he specified in the several claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of so much of a casket as is deemed necessary for illustrating our invention. Fig. 2 is a top view of thesame with its sections slightly separated. Fig. 3 is a top view of a stack of three of such caskets as arranged for transportation and storage. Figs. 4 and 5 are corner views of the interior of the casket, illustrating the bracing and locking devices by which the two sections-are connected, one locking-brace being provided at each end of the casket.

Each of the sides A of the casket and one of the ends B are jointed permanently to gether by a rounded corner-piece, O, the vertical edges of which are angularly recessed to afford contact with said end and side, both endwise and sidewise, substantially as heretoforeinnon-sectionalcaskets. Thesideand end thusjoiued are permanently mounted upon a bottom board, I), or its equivalent, as a strengthening medium. A rectangular frame may be employed, in which case a separate bottom must be provided; but we prefer the bottom D, as shown, without the frame-work suggested, and constructed in two sections, a and I), divided by an angularjoint, and provided with a groove and a spline, c, as shown, and with heavy dowels, as at (I, which occupy coincident dowel-holes c in the sides of the casket. Each section of the casket is therefore a counterpart of the other, except that section a of the bottom has at the angular joint the spline 0, while section b has the groove to receive it; or thisjoint maybe made by doweling together. \Vhen the sections are put together it willbe seen that the sectiou-jointsfare practically concealed, because the end of each side A, at itsjunction with acorner-piece, 0, presents the same offset as that presented at the permanentjoints at y. The angular joint in the bottom of the casket enables on each side a sufficient length of permanent joint between each section of the bottom and the side A, to which it is permanently attached, to at ford the desired strength in the structure; and it also provides for a longitudinal distribution of weight on both sides of said angular joint when the casket is used. which could not be the case it'a rectangularjoint were employed. Said angular joint also enables the two sec tions to be readily put together and taken apart, if need be, without cramping or interfering with the dowels,and the spline being of proper width renders the bottom of the casket practically as strong as if in one piece. At each section-jointf, on the inner surface ofthe casket, we prefer to apply a metallic brace, h. which also serves as a lock for firmly uniting the sections. Said braces are, as heretofore, angularin form, so as to properly face against the adjacent side and corner-piece, and also so that when turned backward for packing they will be practically out of the way. Each brace is pivoted at one end, and is provided with a recess, h, which engages with aheaded stud or screw, k in the side of the casket. WVhen the sections are united and the brace locks turned down upon their studs, they draw the parts firmly together and render the section-joint practically unobservable.

If desired, glue may, of course, be employed at all of the section-joints by the undertaker when preparing the casket for use, and each brace-lock, of Whatever form it may be, should be permanently secured in place by a screw or nail driven close against its upper edge.

Itwillbe seen in Fig.3 that when the caskets are packed for storage or transportation none of the finished surfaces or edges of any one section are exposed to abrasion by contact with another, and that the desired economy in space is obtained.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 7 1. A burial-casket having corner-pieces, and 

